Get ready for a fight that promises sheer, unadulterated misery! Sean Strickland, the former middleweight champion, is gearing up for a showdown with Anthony Hernandez, and he's not holding back on what he expects. Strickland anticipates a grueling battle, describing it as a "miserable fight" that will be incredibly tough to prepare for.
Scheduled for the main event of UFC Fight Night 267 on February 21st at the Toyota Center in Houston, this bout pits Strickland (with a record of 29-7 MMA, 16-7 UFC) against Hernandez (standing at 15-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC).
Hernandez, often nicknamed "Fluffy," is renowned for his relentless grappling pressure. He recently showcased this by submitting Strickland's teammate, Roman Dolidze, in a dominant performance at UFC on ESPN 72. This grappling prowess is precisely what Strickland believes will make this fight so challenging.
"'Fluffy' is a hard fcking fight," Strickland candidly shared. "Endless gas tank, he's beat some of my buddies. I think Edmen (Shahbazyan) kind of sht the bed in that fight. ... Yeah, it's going to be a great fight. I can't wait. It's going to be a miserable fight."
But here's where it gets particularly intense: Strickland elaborated on the unique difficulty of training for Hernandez's style. "There's going to be a level of misery there that's hard to train for. It's hard to train for that kind of misery. You know it's going to be fourth round, fifth round. Like, fck. Five more minutes of this fcking parasite. That's how he's made his career laying on guys, but it's hard."
Strickland himself is no stranger to going the distance, with his last four fights all reaching the full five-round mark. "I don't know anything else than five rounds," he stated, implying a deep familiarity with extended combat. "You just train for that."
However, training for Hernandez presents a distinct hurdle. "'Fluffy' is a hard guy to train for because there's nobody who really fights like him, that has that pace," Strickland explained. This unique style means traditional sparring might not be enough. "So a lot of my training, my wrestling rounds are outside of sparring. Just go with a guy until he becomes a dead body, then go with another guy." This intense approach highlights Strickland's dedication to simulating the relentless pressure he expects from Hernandez.
And this is the part most people miss: While Strickland is known for his own tough performances, he acknowledges the sheer difficulty of preparing for an opponent whose entire game is built on wearing you down. Is this a sign of respect, or is Strickland simply trying to get inside Hernandez's head? What do you think about this kind of mental warfare before a fight even begins? Let us know in the comments below!
